Weather forecasts and discussions for Canada

Flooding Inundates QC / Flare of Eastern Heat to End April

An active April pattern has driven notable moisture totals as previously discussed and subsequently exacerbated swollen rivers in parts of QC and adjacent E ON, in some cases to levels not seen in decades. This has led to various states of emergencies and some evacuations.

Ten west Quebec municipalities will receive emergency financial assistance from the province to help deal with intensifying spring flooding.

With more rain falling on the Outaouais region Friday, Quebec’s Ministry of Public Security announced that ten municipalities would be eligible for disaster funding to help pay for damage to homes and municipal infrastructure that can’t be covered by insurance.

The Ottawa River Regulation Secretariat says it’s been “quite busy” so far this spring monitoring river conditions.

“By mid-April, we had already received as much rain in April as what we typically see in all of the month. So all of this water needs to get out of the system.”

In some areas, the Ottawa River is the highest it’s been in decades, according to Lalonde.

“Depending on where you are along the Ottawa River…some levels have not been seen in the previous 40 years. But in other areas, it’s in the previous 15,” she said.

“Rain at this time of the year really is the worst in terms of flood-wise, and that’s because the soils are saturated. They’re still frozen in some places,” she added. “The vegetation is not out yet to suck all of that water into leaves and grass and all of that. So the water has to flow into the river and leave the system.”